its a love hate situation i hate waiting for that one part getting it just right then while im rideing it i can only think about tweaking this or that i love both parts but rideing on a great day with freinds is the best
Build or Ride? Which Do You Enjoy More?
- Thread starter 2door
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"Build or Ride..." Couldn't tell you - I'm just glad I didn't have to choose. Doing either one is a rush for me.
I would prefer to ride.
Building machinery, whatever... is what I do.
I appreciate every hard bit of quality workmanship that craftsmen put into their projects,
but I would rather be riding.
Flying your own small aircraft may be the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
Riding a motorcycle is second.
And it's a little more forgiving.
rc
Building machinery, whatever... is what I do.
I appreciate every hard bit of quality workmanship that craftsmen put into their projects,
but I would rather be riding.
Flying your own small aircraft may be the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
Riding a motorcycle is second.
And it's a little more forgiving.
rc
I think I found away to speed up the build process. I am something of a procrastinator so my system amounts to, make a final decision, then put Lock Tite on all the threads and put it together. I don’ go back and change anything after that because it’s done. Next case. Keeps me from fooling around so much with all my ideas
I would say riding is the best for me. A quick 10 minute ride after work is all it takes, in fact my wife often suggests I do just that. If I had more free time I would probably enjoy the building more because there isn't a much better feeling than seeing your ideas come to fruition. To LRJerry, so what is the best part of sex?
Geezer,Well, when I first delved into this hobby I just wanted something to pull my old arse up the hills. lol It was all about riding but it wasn't long after that first build I knew I'd be building more. Seeing the look on my brothers face when he saw my first bike I knew he was gonna have to have one... and then there are my two sons 19 & 27 both wanted one. It's been almost a year since that first build... there are now six in my garage and there always seems to be one more in mind before i finish the one i'm working on LOL...
I have to agree with you Tom the building is a lotta fun. Seeing each one come together, trying things out on each that may or may not work, the whole design process... I truly enjoy it. I have to say that I probly would have never done it if not for this site. It gave me the confidence I needed to feel like if I got stuck on some part of the build I could get it figured out with the help of the fine people here. Still thou, I'm probly 50/50 as they are both a kind of therapy for me. After losing my wife to a long battle with cancer Nov 2010, I was a mess & wasn't sure I even wanted to go on... I feel like this hobby helped pull me out of a downward spiral. It brought my sons and I closer to each other as they hepled in the designs on most builds, as well as enjoying the rides we have all gone on together... it's been a wonderful thing for us all.
Can't thank all you guys that make this such a great place enough...
Peace & ride/design safe guys
Your words have a lot of resonance for me. Sorry to hear about the loss of your wife, but so very glad that you have found this forum and creative outlet which you can share with your brother and sons. That really is awesome. I rode over thirty miles today, thoroughly enjoying my Panther, listening to the pipe as I wound the engine out to somewhere in the area of 40 mph, smooth as silk. I found myself smiling, banking into turns and goosing the throttle. No traffic on the road from where I live to the state park, like riding my own paved private road through the forest, passing fresh water lakes, deer, bald eagles flying overhead. I'm 67 years old and hope to God I never grow up. There's a happy twelve year old boy inside who loves to tinker and ride. Woohoo!
SB
For me it's a 60/40 thing. I love to build and it is what helps me keep what little of my sanity I have left. Don't get me wrong here. I LOVE to ride and have since I was 4 years old. But the hunt for the perfect fitment, look, material, durability aspect of each component I use/ misuse, re-use, fabricate, mutilate is what keeps me going.
To ride what my mind's eye has thought up is just the icing on the cake.
I like cake... more than icing.
Geezer, I too am sorry to hear of your loss. I think it is just awesome that of all the things in this world that could have motivated you to pull up and out of that downward spiral, motorized bicycles were the right thing.
I hope that you and your sons will continue to enjoy this hobby for years to come!
Also, thank you for finding us here and joining our little community!
To ride what my mind's eye has thought up is just the icing on the cake.
I like cake... more than icing.
Geezer, I too am sorry to hear of your loss. I think it is just awesome that of all the things in this world that could have motivated you to pull up and out of that downward spiral, motorized bicycles were the right thing.
I hope that you and your sons will continue to enjoy this hobby for years to come!
Also, thank you for finding us here and joining our little community!
It's not really either for me, although I love the practical aspects of using the bikes, and also take satisfaction from all those years of cycling know-how that otherwise left me sorta injured.
It's been an aesthetic quest for me- a slightly evolving way about thinking what this all would be otherwise, and then seeking the right components to realize the vision.
I think what I've been mosty after is a cheaper, lighter and simpler mo-ped, but I also like to think of my builds as Bicycles with Afterburners.
When I did the first basic China girl/ cruiser, my first inclination, after racing USCF for 14 years in my prime, was to put together a road bike with afterburners- as lightweight and peddable otherwise as I could get it.
But what I found, when I started to motor a Schwinn Traveller, was the top tube was too short to accomodate a standard tear kit tank- it was in the way of peddalling- and the back triangle wasn't spaced as favorable to the motor stuff as the cruiser.
Since the cruiser frame has been largely improved through the years, I found that as I lightened the bike up otherwise, I was getting a really good pedal otherwise. The real breakthrough was when I put 27 and 700 c wheels on the cruisers (700's actually fit better, and are easier to buy new, but I had some luck finding cheap used alloy 27's for the first build.) I started with the front wheel, but it made such a better roll, I eventually did all the wheels thin, lightweight and ROLLING- applying the advantages I learned for the fragile human motor to the not-so-massive bike motor.
the rest of the parameters revolve around that formula- lightweight wheels on a cruiser frame- I use alloy parts where I can- bars and 3 piece cranks- rims always. As we used to say about rotating weight: " An ounce off the wheels is like two off the frame" The 415 Trike chain is both lighter in weight AND pedals much easier than the standard kit.
I suppose the right mountain bike frames might work, but I'm too old and unfortunately active otherwise to try a lot of extra mechanical stressing. I concentrate on the two builds I had to lug up the apartment stairs- until I got another house last month. Thank God!
I have both a 50cc build, and a 66- and they have their respective characteristics- I actually have used the 50 more- it's lighter in weight and pedals more like a fine bike should.
anyway- I've saved lots of gasoiline and wear and tear on the car here in Jacksonville, where I can use the MB's most of the year- so I guess as far as the question goes- I like riding best- but I like being able to get home if the motor breaks down- fortunately that hasn't happened much, but I DO need to get some kinda pump to carry for flats.
It's been an aesthetic quest for me- a slightly evolving way about thinking what this all would be otherwise, and then seeking the right components to realize the vision.
I think what I've been mosty after is a cheaper, lighter and simpler mo-ped, but I also like to think of my builds as Bicycles with Afterburners.
When I did the first basic China girl/ cruiser, my first inclination, after racing USCF for 14 years in my prime, was to put together a road bike with afterburners- as lightweight and peddable otherwise as I could get it.
But what I found, when I started to motor a Schwinn Traveller, was the top tube was too short to accomodate a standard tear kit tank- it was in the way of peddalling- and the back triangle wasn't spaced as favorable to the motor stuff as the cruiser.
Since the cruiser frame has been largely improved through the years, I found that as I lightened the bike up otherwise, I was getting a really good pedal otherwise. The real breakthrough was when I put 27 and 700 c wheels on the cruisers (700's actually fit better, and are easier to buy new, but I had some luck finding cheap used alloy 27's for the first build.) I started with the front wheel, but it made such a better roll, I eventually did all the wheels thin, lightweight and ROLLING- applying the advantages I learned for the fragile human motor to the not-so-massive bike motor.
the rest of the parameters revolve around that formula- lightweight wheels on a cruiser frame- I use alloy parts where I can- bars and 3 piece cranks- rims always. As we used to say about rotating weight: " An ounce off the wheels is like two off the frame" The 415 Trike chain is both lighter in weight AND pedals much easier than the standard kit.
I suppose the right mountain bike frames might work, but I'm too old and unfortunately active otherwise to try a lot of extra mechanical stressing. I concentrate on the two builds I had to lug up the apartment stairs- until I got another house last month. Thank God!
I have both a 50cc build, and a 66- and they have their respective characteristics- I actually have used the 50 more- it's lighter in weight and pedals more like a fine bike should.
anyway- I've saved lots of gasoiline and wear and tear on the car here in Jacksonville, where I can use the MB's most of the year- so I guess as far as the question goes- I like riding best- but I like being able to get home if the motor breaks down- fortunately that hasn't happened much, but I DO need to get some kinda pump to carry for flats.
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A lot of great posts in this thread. I'm about 40/40/20, 20 to thinking "What's next?", or staring at the bikes and thinking of tweaks. The next time the motors off _______ will be done to the engine, heh heh.
I'm with you, Killer. It's almost an affliction to be constantly thinking about improvements that would make the perfect MB. Right now I'm thinking about swapping out the engines on all of my bikes for a "better fit". The Stiletto has a jackshaft so it's better suited for a torque converter mated to a 4 stroke, but it's currently fitted with a 66cc Chinagirl. My crusier with the Nexus 3-speed is best suited for a Chinagirl with manual clutch, but it's fitted with an engine with a centrifugal clutch. Finally, I'm actually thinking about putting my Whizzer engine on my Spoiler so I have magneto driven lights on a bike with disc brakes ( I can barely stop the Whizzer with its coaster rear brake and 1/2 drum front brake). If anyone knows of a cure for this affliction, please let me know, not that I would use it cause this "affliction" is too much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As with many endeavors that become described as "hobby", I think a third category often fits that trumps the other two: those who'd rather bs about it, lol.
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Good point, Happyvalley. I should have thought of that when I started this thread. Thanks.
Tom
Scootmeister, I had a bad experience with the Whizzer coaster brake when a car pulled out in front of me. The brake locked up real good. I got it going again but the brake would lock every time I put the brake on after that. I was going to ride in the Christmas parade at the time too but I couldn’t with a bum brake.
After that I bought the Whizzer band brake wheel and the auto clutch. No problem with band brake except it is ugly in my opinion, however the clutch is not working right now but I can fix it.
The coaster has been hanging on the wall and I don’t know what I’m doing inside that hub. Just say ‘in, the coaster sucks in a panic stop. I was doing about 20 and I had the right of way.
After that I bought the Whizzer band brake wheel and the auto clutch. No problem with band brake except it is ugly in my opinion, however the clutch is not working right now but I can fix it.
The coaster has been hanging on the wall and I don’t know what I’m doing inside that hub. Just say ‘in, the coaster sucks in a panic stop. I was doing about 20 and I had the right of way.
Tom it more the build for me or should I say fine tuning. It's kinda like the hot rod days trying to get it running just a little better or lowering the e.t. a 10th.
I can go in the garage and just loose all sense of time. Whether it's just cleaning the bike, an oil change, or a new modification, I enjoy it all. I really enjoy the building process, however, I favor the post build process more. Working out all the little bugs, tinkering, taking it up and down the block making my neighbors mad, tuning the motor to get optimum performance. I can't forget to mention the riding, after all that's why we build these things right, is to ride them.
